New Year’s Resolution?

Still looking for a New Year’s resolution? How about kicking the bottled-water habit and finding other ways to conserve this precious resource? We’ve said this before, but it’s a good time to be reminded. We at UUS:E as well as the UUA Ministry for Earth are focusing on water this year.

There are many small ways to conserve, such as not leaving the water running while brushing teeth, rinsing dishes, and washing hands. You can make a huge difference by not buying bottled water. The manufacturers’ marketing campaigns capitalize on isolated instances of contaminated public drinking water supplies by encouraging the perception that their products are purer and safer than tap water. But the reality is that tap water is actually held to more stringent quality standards than bottled water, and some brands are just tap water in disguise. What’s more, our increasing consumption of bottled water—more than 22 gallons per U.S. citizen—fuels an unsustainable industry that takes a heavy toll on the environment. Approximately 17 million barrels of oil—enough to run 1 million cars for a whole year—are used to make plastic water bottles. And sadly, only about 10 percent of water bottles are recycled — the rest are left in landfills or incinerators.

Filtered tap water is best. If you will be away from home, fill a reusable bottle from your tap and refill it along the way. Limit your bottled water purchases for those times when you’re traveling in countries where water quality is questionable.